Tuesday, August 2, 2011

A Note on My Return: Departure Tomorrow

I have mixed feelings, unsurprisingly. I am SUPER excited to come back to the States to see people and start the next adventure in my life. I am SUPER sad to be leaving a lot of things here in Korea. Life here has been interesting, instructive, and full of adventures. I will work hard to make sure that my new life in Michigan will be the same!

Things I will MISS about living in KOREA:

1. Being someplace unusual (for my circles) and feeling like I am having a very unique experience

2. Hot and cold filtered water dispenser...in my kitchen

3. Heated floors

4. The PEOPLE

5. The FOOD

6. The amazing PUBLIC TRANSPORTATION system

7. The fact that South Korea is a small country, so I can make a day trip to almost anywhere

8. The prices...for the most part, things can be found pretty inexpensively as long as they don't have to be imported

9. Being unique from all the people around me

10. The MOUNTAINS

11. Being able to talk on my phone and know that no one understands my conversation

12. Watching an American movie and being the only one in the theater to understand the humor

13. The MARKETS

14. Reading the horrible English on people's clothing

15. Uniquely Korean fruits

16. Free TAEKWONDO

17. A mountain bike and mountain biking partner/mentor

18. The adventures in language

etc.

Things I am LOOKING FORWARD TO in returning to the UNITED STATES:

1. The PEOPLE

2. My new APARTMENT with Brandon

3. My new job with The LEAGUE Michigan and exploring my new state

4. Asparagus and Avocados

5. Food Network and Travel Channel

6. Having Google be in English and not Korean

7. Pandora and NetFlix

8. A DRYER

9. Being able to read a microwave and wash machine

10. Not having to convert from the metric system and Celsius temperatures

11. Being able to call friends and family on the phone, and being in a more similar time zone

12. Not getting stared at, pointed at, and called a "foreigner" very blatantly

13. Inexpensive peanut butter and cereal

etc.

This year has been amazing. I have grown and learned in ways that I never imagined and that will continue to shape me for years to come. Thank you to everyone who has made this time possible and for continuing to support me throughout my year here. I could not have done it without you.